Machine for printing cards



(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2, J. BpDENNIS. MACHINE FOR PRINTING GARDS.

Patented Aug. 22, 1893.

m n I M I hrzomvap (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet a.

'J. B. DENNIS. MACHINE FOR PRINTING. CARDS.

No. -503,833.- Patented Aug. 22,1893.

4 Sheets-$11661; 4. J. B.-DENNI S.

(No Model.)

MACHINE P03 PRINTING cums. l "Patented Aug. 22,1893.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

JOHN B.DENNIS, OF OTTUMVVA, IOlVA.

MACHINE FOR PRINTING CARDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 503,833, dated August22, 1893.

Application filed Septemberd, 1892. Serial No. 444,782. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN B. DENNIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ottumwa, in the county of WVapello and State of Iowa,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forPrinting Cards, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description'of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inmachines for print ing cards and labels; and it consists substantiallyin such features of arrangement, construction, and combination of partsas will hereinafter be more particularly described and claimed.

The invention has for its object to provide a machine from which postalcards, invoices, tags, &c., can be readily struck off or printed, asrequired, and thus save much time heretofore incident to such operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic feeder forthe cards or tags to be printed; as well as also to provide an ejectorfor casting or delivering the printed card or tag from the machine assoon as the type impression has been made thereon.

A final object of the invention is to provide a machine forthe purposenamed which shall automatically feed the card or tag into position,print the same, and finally eject or throw such printed card or tag fromthe machine all at one operation substantially as will hereinafter morefully appear when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure l is a longitudinal side elevation of a machine embodyingmy improvements; and

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectiontaken on the line co m of Fig. 2, and showing the front side of the cardor tag-holder broken away so as to reveal the arrangement of the cardsor tags therein. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of that part ofthe sliding frame or carriage which operates the tag or card ejector,substantially as will more fully hereinafter appear. Fig. 5 is avertical longitudinal section through the machine. r

In carrying my invention into effectl provide a suitable longitudinalplatform or base which may or may not be provided with supporting legs;and within or upon such platform or base a longitudinally movablecarriage or frame works which operatesthe'print ing devices as well ascontrolling the action of the automatic ejector which discharges orejects the card or tag from the machine immediately after an impressionhas been made thereon. WVorking in connection with the longitudinallymovable frameis a pivoted or vibrating spring-controlled platen whichholds the type from which the impressions are obtained; and also formedwith and working in connection with such carriage is an automatic springcontrolled card feeder which is so arranged and constructed as to feed asingle card or tag into position to receive a type impression each timethe movable carriage is drawn backward into position to be given anothermovement forward. Immediately after the impression is made the ejectoris set into action and a card or tag is let oft, and the machine is thusin readiness to print a new card or tag and so on.

The card holder is provided with means by which cards or tags of varyingsizes can be used or accommodated and in providing the machine a pack ofthe cards is placed in and a single card only fed out each time.

Reference being had to the drawings by the letters marked thereon Arepresents the base of the machine which, as shown, is provided withsuitable supporting legs a,the said base being formed or provided withside grooves or channels in which the flanges c, c, of the movable frameor carriage B are received, forming guide-ways in which the carriagetravels backward and forward. The carriage B is, by preference, arectangular structure provided at one end with a-handle b by which it ismanipulated, and it carries or is provided with a receptacle or holder Bin which is placed a pack of cards or tags to be printed, and a supportor chase C for the form or die from which the cards receive theimpressions.

At the forward end of the frame or base A there is a set of ink rollersd, (1, over and in contact with which passes a cleaning and distributingplate a secured to the forward end of the movable carriage B. The plate6 serves not only to turn the rollers so they present freshly inkedsurfaces to the die or form, but also serves to spread the ink evenlyuponthem.

nearing the limit of its backward movement these arms engage with thestuds or posts a rising from the frame A. of the arms Z with the posts aarrests the backward movement of the chase Cand causes it to swingdownward, toward the bed a, the links I, Z insuring that this lattermovement shall be in a plane parallel with the bed a,u pon which thecard'to be printed rests. The arms Z are by preference provided withanti friction rollers whichengage with the posts a.

Z", Z, represent arms projecting laterally from the carriage B andarranged to'engage with the studs or posts 0', c so as to limit thegroove in the carriage thespring mis moved, ,That portion of the bed aof the frame A forward movement of the carriage.

upon which the card or tag restsduring the printing operation isslightly depressed. The

bed a' is preferably formed as indicated in the drawings, that is tosay, it isprovided withia series of longitudinal slightly raised;portions f, f, Which are cutaway at the place where the cards are torest while receiving the. impressions from the die or form-thus heightof the thickness of an ordinary card, and, beingcut away as described,whenever the carriage in its forward movement brings the open ended cardholder B" overthis part of the bed a one of the cards drops into thedepression therein, Where it is held by theends, of the raised portionsf, being thus withdrawn from the pack, which moves on with the carriage,and held in position tobe'printe-d.

The automatic ejector which operates to,

throw the card out of the machine through the opening Z, Fig. 1, afterit has been printed, consists of a spring actuated bolt. g arranged:

under the bed a and mounted in suitable bearingsj. The bolt g is actedupon by the spring h and is provided with a fingervlwhich extends upthrough the bed a, as indicated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, and is adapted tomove across the face of the base or bed so as to act upon the card toeject it at the proper time. The finger t' of the ejector is engaged byan arm 70, which is formed with or secured to the carriage B, as thecarriage is being moved forward, and by said arm is forcedoutwardthrough a channel Z-into the groovenin one of the side pieces ofthe carriage. The opening between the channel Z and the groove n isnormally closed by a fiat spring m which This engagement,

yields to permit the finger itopass into the groove during the forwardmovement of the carriage, but closes as soon as the finger enters thegroove, so that,.on the return movement of the carriage, it prevents thefinger from again passing into the channel I, but causes it to continuein'the groove 71.. The groove in the carriage in which the ejector,fi'nger travels is broken at 0 and continues beyond this part, as agroove 19, in a plane parallel with but inside of the part n of thegroove-see Fig. 4. The groove or channel opens, at 0, at the side of theoffset or broken part 0 thereof, and opposite the end of the part 19.

The operation of the parts just described is as follows: As the carriageB is moved forward the arm it engages the'finger 2' of the ejector anddirects it into the inclined channel-way Z, whereby it is withdrawn fromover the bed ct, this movementputtingthe spring .h under atension, whichtends to 'IDOVG the Eejector over or across the bed a to the extentpermitted by the slot in the bed through-which ;the fingert' extends. Inpassing-out of the tchannel-way Z and into the portion n of the ibutimmediately closes'behindthe ejector, so :that on the return orbackward'movementof the carriage the ejector finger follows the igroove,n, 0 and 19. At'the'close of the backw ward movement of the carriage,which leaves a card, printed, on the bed a, the finger a is in theportion 1) of the .groove. As the carjriage is moved from this position*forwardthe ;opening 0' is brought opposite the finger 41' whichunderthe influence'of thespring -h ias soon as it escapes from the groove,ejects lthe card, immediatelyafter which thearmk engages the finger andthe sequence'of move- {me-nt-s just described is again repeated. I hecards which are placed in the holder B'may the fed down eitherbygrav'ity, or by a spring tactuated follower or plunger, as shownin theidrawings. The card holderB is formed by ithe side frame pieces of thecarriage, the stattionary cross-piece s, the adjustable cross :piece 5',and an adjustable end piece w. The plate or cross piece 8 is providedw'ith screw Ethreaded studswhich extend'throu-gh slots'in :the sidepieces of the carriage, and upon whichare'mounted the set screwsw. Thisconstruction permits the plates to be ad- .justed toward or from thestationary cross pieces, so as to makethewidth of the holder B to fitthe particular-width of the cards to be printed, and after suchadjustment'to be held in a fixed position. The adjustable-end piece toofthe card'receiver isjprov'ided with ribs which fit into grooves on theinside face of the plate, as illustrated in Fig. 5, whereby it is heldin proper vertical position parallel with the opposite side piece of thecarriage frame. A screw'o' passes through a slot in the cross pieces 8,and enters a screw-threaded socketintheadjustable end-piecewwithwhich itmoves. A locking lever y is mounted upon IIO the screw 1;, which isforced into locking or clamping engagement with the cross piece 8 by acam lever 11, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

When the handle end of this lever '12 is thrown up the locking lever yis freed from its engagement with the cross piece 5 and the endpiece tois left to be adjusted toward or from the side frame of the carriage andbrought to bear against the ends of the cards. If the end piece shouldnot be required it can be removed from the apparatus after first takingout the screw '0.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a card and tag printing machine, the

combination of a suitable base or frame, a

movable carriage mounted thereon, a card receptacle carried by thecarriage and having its-lower end open, through which the cards fall oneby one upon the base, means for transferring the card from thereceptacle to the base and a die for printing the card while it restsupon the base, substantially as de scribed.

2. In a card or tag printing machine, the combination of a suitable baseor frame having its upper surface provided with a depressed portion, acarriage movable over said base, a card receptacle carried by thecarriage and having its lower end open and arranged to move over thedepressed portions of the base, whereby the cards are fed thereto, oneby one, and a die for printing the card while it lies in such depressedportion of the base, substantially as described.

3. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of a suit-ablebase or frame, a reciprocatory carriage movable thereon carrying a cardreceptacle, a printing die mounted on and carried by the carriage, meansfor transferring the card from the receptacle to the base and means formoving the die toward and from the base as the carriage isreciprocated,substantially as described.

4. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of a suitablebase or frame, a reciprocatory carriage mounted thereon, a printing die,the linksl',l,, connecting the die with the carriage, a spring forholding the die out of printing position, and the stops which arrest themovement of the die with the carriage, and cause it to move against theforce of the said spring, substantially as described.

5. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of the base orframe upon which the card or tag rests while receiving the impression, areciprocatory printing die, and a spring actuated card ejector whichmoves transversely across the face of the base and forces the card fromthe base or frame after the impression has been made, substantially asdescribed.

6. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of the base orframe, a reciprocatory carriage, a printing die, aspring actuated cardejector, and a projecting arm carried by the carriage, and adapted toengage with the said ejector and move it out of the way of the card,substantially as described.

7. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of the base orframe, the reciprocatory carriage, a die for printing the card while itrests upon the base, a card ejector having a finger adapted to engagewith the card, and an arm carried by the carriage,

and adapted to engage with the said finger I of the ejector, and toguide it into a groove in the carriage wherein it is held while the cardis being printed, substantially as described.

8. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of the frame orbase, a reciprocatory carriage having in one of its side pieces thegrooves n, o, 19, into which is the break or opening 0', a die adaptedto print the card While resting upon the base, a spring actuated ejectorhaving a finger t projecting through the base, the arm it carried by thecarriage and adapted to engage with the said finger and to guide it intothe said groove in the side piece of the frame, and the spring m, whichcloses the opening through which the finger c' enters the groove,substantially as described.

9. In a card and tag printing machine, the combination of the base orframe, the reciprocatory carriage, the card receptacle earned by thecarriage from which the cards are delivered, one by one, upon the base,the die for printing the cards as they lie upon the base, also carriedby the carriage, and the spring actuated card ejector controlled by themovements of the carriage, substantially as described.

10. In a card and tag printing machine the herein described receptacle Bin which the blank cardsare held, provided with the slotted side piece8, and the adjustable end piece w, in combination with the screw '1)which passes through the slot in the piece 8 and into the end piece 10,the locking levery mounted on the said screw, and the cam lever 12,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof Iaifix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

JNO. B. DENNIS.

Witnesses:

E. E. MCELROY, M. A. ROBERTS.

ICC

